Dartmouth Golf Club

men’s section

It seems a little bizarre to be writing about torrential rain as I sit at home composing this report with the sun streaming in my window writes John Garner.

However, when the players turned out for the midweek stableford, yet another 10th tee start was forced upon them and as they made their way alongside the rocks the water was pouring out of every nook and cranny.

The fairways were flooded and the bunkers were more like ponds yet still in play. So much rain had fallen overnight it was thought the competition would be abandoned.

Play went ahead but because of the conditions there were many casualties.

John (Tommo) Thompson struggled with the greens and three-putted seven out of the first nine.

Steve Fishburn blobbed the first two holes and Steve Atkins could not find his timing until late on.

In fact most players found it challenging, but all completed the course and the best play came from John Oldreive who won with 38 points. Second on countback was Steve Fishburn, who obviously recovered well from a shaky start, third John Wood with 36, fourth Roger Mawson with 34 and fifth Ian Metchette with 32.

Roger Mawson has a nice end to his day as he claimed the only two. What a contrast then for the Saturday competition, the monthly medal, Badger Trophy round one, and the Lombard Trophy qualifier. No wind and brilliant sunshine.

The course looked fantastic with the shadows casting different shades of green over the manicured fairways and greens, playing a medal format in benign conditions like that never seems to be so daunting.

This format, according to Steve Owen, is proper golf and he is right as the facts don’t lie. Only five players out of 30 managed to play to their handicap and among them some exceptional golf was played.

Playing off nine, Ed Mitchell went around the back in only two over gross; club captain Kevin Mathews, John Wood and Roger Mawson all played wellc but it was Steve Atkins who pipped them all to the post and won the handicap section with a net 70.

Steve has come a long way since learning to play golf at John Dance’s nine-hole course at Dean Prior, even more remarkable is that he is improving having lost a foot in a work place accident, hats off to you Steve well played.

First Steve Atkins net 70, second Ed Mitchell net 71, third Kevin Mathews net 72, fourth John Wood net 73 and fifth Roger Mawson net 74. In the gross section, first Roger Mawson 79, second Ed Mitchell 80, and third John Wood with 80.

On Saturday evening crowds enjoyed a Abba tribute band evening which saw the men’s club captain Kevin Matthews a little confused.com as he dressed as Igglepiggle in The Night Garden. His explanation was “I’m dressed as Eddie the Eagle at Calgary 1998”.

Sorry to tell you this Kev, Abba are from Sweden. Either way an enjoyable night was had by all.